Dust collector vibrator



March 30, 1948. J. R. SHOFFNER DUST COLLECTOR VIBRATOR Filed April 2,1945 INVEN OR MRWW ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

DUST COLLECTOR VIBRATOR John It. Shoflfner, Kitanning, Pa.

Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,154

2 Claims. (Cl. 183-76) This invention relates to dust collectingapparatus and particularly to apparatus for mechanically separating dustfrom the air or other gas by which his entrained. There are a number ofmechanical dust collectors on the market and all such mechanisms aremore or less effective so long as the air passages thereof do not becomeclogged and thus prevent the intended functioning of the apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide a dust collecting apparatussuch that the possibility of dust clogging the air passages thereof isminimized to the extent that the apparatus will always be highlyefiective in collecting and removing dust from the gas traversing it andwill not require frequent cleaning operations such as are employed withthe various types of mechanical dust collectors now in use.

A further object is to provide simple and effective means for preventingdust from collecting in the intake passages of a mechanical dustcollector in quantities and under conditions such that the eiiectivenessof the apparatus will be progressively decreased during operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for insuring thatthe dust-laden gas, traversing the collector, will not prematurelydeposit dust within the gas passages of the collector and therebyobstruct the free passage of the gas and reduce the effectiveness of theapparatus.

These, and other objects, which will be made more apparent throughoutthe further description of my invention, are attained by apparatusembodying the features herein illustrated and described. 1

In the drawings, accompanying and forming a part of my invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of dust collectingapparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmental, sectional view of a-portion of theapparatus illustrated in Figure 1, the section having been taken alongthe line of the section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmental, sectional view along the line X--X of Figure 2on a somewhat enlargedscale.

For the purpose of disclosing the principle of my invention and oneembodiment thereof, I have disclosed in the drawings the generalstructural details of a well known commercial type of mechanical dustcollector. As shown in Figure 1, the dust collector consists of ahousing 4 which is provided with an inlet port5 and anoutlet port 2 byan inclined tube sheet 1 which divides the housing into an inlet chamber5a, communicatin with the port 5 and an outlet chamber 6a communicatingwith the port 6.

The housing 4 is supported by a housing 8 which terminates at its lowerend in a hopper 9..

For convenience of illustration, the hopper 9 is shown as broken away,but it is to be understood.

that it is merely a converging duct for conduct-- ing away collecteddust and that the convergingwalls thereof direct the collected dusttoward atween those housings. As shown, the tube sheet.

H1 extends horizontally, separates the inletchamber of the housing 4from the dust collect-- ing chamber within the hopper 9 and supportsaplurality of collecting tubes I I. Each of the; tubes H extendsvertically downward from the tube sheet l0; terminates within thehousing 8 at a point well above the hopper 9; and, each:

such tube is shown as convergin at its lower end so as to provide adischarge nozzle or throat which is substantially less in crosssectional area than the inlet end of the tube and also than theintermediate portion thereof.

The inclined tube sheet 1 supports the upper ends of a plurality oftubes l2. Each tube l2 projects through the sheet 1 extends verticallydownward and projects into one of the collecting tubes II with which itis axially aligned in concentric relationship. As disclosed by Figure 2,each of the tubes I2 is of substantially less diameter than itsco-operating tube l I, with the result that the interior of each of thetubes ll communicates directly with the inlet chamber 511 of the housing4 through the annular passage located between its inner surface and theexternal surface of the tube l2 which projects into it. The tubes I2 maybe termed outlet tubes, since each provides a gas passage through whichthe gas moves upwardly from the interior of a tube ll and into theoutlet chamber 6a of the housing 4.

Each of the tubes I2 is supported by the diaphragm I through the mediumof a ring or collar l3 which surrounds the tube and is welded to itsexternal surface adjacent the upper end thereof. Each collar I3 isadapted to enclose a gasket or gasket material 14 for sealing the jointbetween the tube l2 and its supporting plate I. The

6. The ports are separated one from the other length of each tube I2 issuch that it extends well. into its co-operating collecting tube Ill.The

lower ends of each tube [2 are preferably on-a.

level with each other and each is surrounded by a series of vanes l5,located within the tube ll adjacent the upper end thereof and at a pointabove the lower end of the tube 12.

Each series of vanes 15 (see Figure 2) is so arranged as to direct thegas from the chamber to downwardly into the surrounding tube H and toinduce therein a whirling motion which will create sufficientcentrifugal force to throw the entrained dusts outwardly or toward thesurface or the tube M It. will also" be apparent that the gas passage,between each tube i2' and its surrounding tube II, is considerablyconstricted; with relation to both the volumetric capacity, 01 thechamber a and the cross section'al'a'rea of the intermediate portion ofthe tube: l-l As; a; result, the velocity of the gas, entering each tubeII, will be materially accelerated asit" traverses the constrictedpassage and will then bedecelerated as it moves into the unrestrictedpart of the tube I ,l,.v This.- deceleration contributes to and isaccomplished. simultaneously. with. the reversal oi flow oi the gas. asit turns-to enter and move upwardly through the. co-operating tube Ii,As a: result, theentrained dust is subjected to centrifugal, forceandits inertiaicausesiit to continue to move, downwardly through thetube H. and into the hopper lie the gasreversesits direction of, travel,and moves, upwardly. The gas moving upwardly, through. the. tubes l2-enters the outlet hamherl 6a andfrom there, passes through the oul l Pt- 6.

The flow of gas through the dust collector may be l-occasioned by.either suction or pressure, a1- though cplacing the. fan. or blower onthe outlet. side ofthe collector contributes to the long life. of, thefamsince ahrasivedustsare. collected and remoyed' fro nthe gas, beforethe gas enters the fanI It,should,a1so.be understoodfthat, thetemperature, oil the gas traversing the dust collector passagesisbf.importance and should be ab'ove. the dew. point of the gasv in, order toprevent moisture, collection. on the surfaces of the gas passages-v andthus interfere with the contemplated. free movement of, the dust as, itis exsc d r mtne mov g ets.

one of the. features. of my, invention. is that the tubes II aresubjected to the. vibratory action of a. vibrator throughout the entire"dust collecting operation This is accomplished by subjecting the tubesheet I to the; action of a; vibrator, I], diag-rannnaticallyillustrated" in Fig ure, 1f. Thevi-brat'or may be of, any suitable typeand. is. preferably electrically actuated. Itmay be. loc fid,W ithih.the housing. 4 andpreferably within the outlet chamber 6a oi theapparatus. imaii a s occ ny ny suitab e etition" h thefiillf lineposition, shown in; Figure or the; dotted, ine position. also showninFlguref 1. It is. desirable to impart" several hundred vibratignstothe sheetperminute, althougli'thespe'edf and}? ower, of; the vibrator:may be varied to suit: he various. ond t o s: n oun e e Where the;vibratory impulses areimposed ona. tube" carrying; sheet" or plate; suchas, the tube sheet- 11', it is d e sirable' to so mount the sheetthagt;it will not. only impart the vibrations to the" tubes carried by it; butmove inso,

doingf. 'I'he'tube' sheet"? is; therefore; mounted on resilient supportscarried by opposed walls lieli s e- As shown, in Eigures2j and 3', the.sheet (is supported. on two resilient su ports I81, each errae a wriibimehe t acent n a ral;

4 angle iron I9 carried by a. lateral wall of the housing 4. The sheet Iand the resilient strip l8 are held in place on the angle l9 by bolts 20which are spaced along the angle and so as to insure a gas-tight fitbetween the plate 1 and the resilient strip l8, thus preventing leakagefrom the chamber 5a to the chamber 6a. The bolt openings in the sheet 1are enlarged so that the sheet may fully respond to its resilientmounting: As shown in: the-drawings; the sheet I is. of such leneththat; it: term nates short of the end walls of the housing 4. For thisreason, av flexible strip 2| extends clear across the housing 4 at eachend of the sheet 1 and is secured. to-the sheet' and. also the wall ofthe housing,

thussupplementing the plate in dividing the interior of the housing intothe chambers 5a and 'se but; at the same time, permitting the sheet 2!as secured to the bounding fiange oi? the ad jacent? housing portbymeansof a nut and.

Washer assembly 22 Theotlir edge of thestrip' maybe cementedt'o=or:-otherwisgsuitablyssecured to'the'sheet The-vanes l5}whichsurround? ea'ch tube IE;

are also formedof live rubber or some similar? flexible material The s"apeof each vane is such that; even though: it 'is formed? 0f fiexibl'eimaterial, it is, nevertheless; suflleiently' rigid to co-operate' withother blades of its sericsiin: centering eaoh-tube l-Z withsrelation toits co-oper-ie ating tube Hi T lie' flex-ible vanes I5 and": theresilient mounting: strips: i8; nowevem co ope'ratei so that the:vibrations iinpezrted to: the sheet: 1: are imparted tme'a'ch of thetubes Mandi are":

' highly efiectivea in: preventing? dust from: lodging onand'adheringitotl loseztubesr In mechanical. dusti collectors; somewhatsiin il rto: the collector? illustrated: in: the drawings I dustcollects on the-vanes l5: and: also one the will occasion variations ingas flow condition:

within the= collector whioh -w ill detract from its efiectiven'ess;Fonexample; as restriction of the? gas= pas'sages -withln the chamber:5a wilLdetracti from the effectiveness of theifiowwreversallifi sepsiarating 'the' dust fromtheethemupwardiyimoring gas. nilr'ewiseg: dustcolleotlrig on (in-between. the? blades l5 will detract from theirusefulnessr andi will} occasion prematureslacls'ening' ofi the'lrate ofgas fibw; with the result that thecdiisti re'--= mov'al efict of} thecentrifugdl fprce an also: of" the: reversal' qf gas now will not-"j he"iullych aiiis f.

Iti h na am? tha ru ur miss" dse ne eoi and can n us r up orted: n: 1:railer mi uece fi earmsaterseaafi I? so that the vibrator I1 is fullyeffective in preventing dust from adhering to the tube surfaces withinthe chamber 5a. It will also be apparent that this floating effect iscontributed to by the flexible vanes l5 and that the vibrations impartedto the vanes I5 by the tubes l2 will also be effective in preventingdust from adhering to those vanes.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a usual construction of scraperchain 23 in connection with each of the tubes I2. As shown, each scraperchain is secured to and supported by a hand hold cover 24 and extendsthrough one pair of co-operating tubes II and I2 to a distance of a fewinches below the throat or discharge end of each tube II. A disk or ring25 may be secured to the lower end of each chain to add to its weightand, consequently, its effectiveness as a scraper of the inner surfacesof both the tubes H and I 2. During the gas flow through the collector,the whirling flow of the gas, entering each tube ll through theassociated blades 15, will impart a whirling movement to the associatedchain 23 and thus contribute to its effectiveness as a scraper chain.

WhatIclaimis:

1. In a dust collector, a casing having an outlet port and an inletport, a tube sheet located within said casing extending across theinterior thereof and separating said ports one from the other, a secondtube sheet located within said casing extending across the interiorthereof and located below the first mentioned tube sheet, a series ofopen tubes extending through, depending from and supported by saidsecond tube sheet, in combination with means for resiliently supportingsaid first mentioned tube sheet, a series of open tubes extendingthrough said first mentioned tube sheet with each tube of such seriesprojecting into one of the tubes of the first mentioned series, a collarsecured to each tube of the second mentioned series adjacent the upperend thereof and located above the first mentioned tube sheet, a separategasket covered by each such collar and sealing the joints between theassociated tube and said first mentioned tube 6 sheet, a series offlexible blades within each tube of the first mentioned series,surrounding the associated tube of the second mentioned series andconstituting a connection between such tubes, and means for impartingvibratory motion to said first mentioned tube sheet.

2. In a dust collector, a casing having an inlet port and an outletport; a floating tube sheet located within said casing; flexible meansfor supporting said sheet on said casing, said sheet and its supportsseparating the interior of said easing into an inlet chambercommunicating with said inlet port and an outlet chamber communicatingwith said outlet port; a, series of tubes projecting through and carriedby said floating sheet, the interior of each such tube communicatingwith both of said chambers; a support collar carried by each such tube;a gasket enclosed by each such collar and sealing the joint between saidassociated tube and said sheet; a second tube sheet secured to saidcasing; a second series of tubes carried thereby, with each tube of thefirstmentioned series projecting into a tube of the second series andthe interior of each tube of the second series communicating with butone of said chambers; a separate series of flexible, air-directing vanessurrounding each tube of the first series and located within theassociated tube of the second series; and, means for imparting vibratorymotion to said floating sheet.

JOHN R. SHO'FFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,781,430 Blaney Nov. 11, 19302,323,708 Danz July 6, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 332,475Great Britain July 24, 1930 834,509 France Nov. 23, 1938 289,036 GermanyDec. 6, 1915

